Exasperated Exhalation Syndrome
by Chemical Chocolate
Summary: Cloud Strife hates his job, his co-workers, his manager, and his life. He's about to realize just how much he has in common with his manager after a night out drinking. L/C. A/R. Slash. Little bit of het.
1. Introductions

Disclaimer: All I own are my thoughts, a copy of Kingdom Hearts 1 & 2 for PS2, and my laptop.

**.Exasperated Exhalation Syndrome.**

* * *

Wishing I could be anywhere but here just leaves me feeling worse.

I, a college student on my second year... I, Cloud Strife, am working part-time at a candy store. And it's hell on earth.

My cousin, Rikku, comes in here often, and it's no wonder how she stays as hyped up as she does. You could prick her arm and liquid sugar would ooze out. Probably.

It's summer, so I'm working full-time. My co-worker, Sora, is fresh out of high school and quite possibly on the same sugar-rush as Rikku. It's scary, but he brings in business. In return, he helps to fill my paycheck.

Our boss is brooding away in his office out of sight, he probably hates this place more than I do, but very little work is open nowadays for college drop-outs.

I've been working here for almost two years now, having started after I graduated from high school. My boss, one year ahead of me, we were complete opposites back then. I played soccer and basketball, one of the fellow jocks, and he was the local bad boy. He was in detention often and broke the hearts of many girls. How he managed to graduate, I'm surprised.

But after high school, status fades away. And now the bad boy is a manager at a candy store, a job he gained from his uncle. A job I gained because I was young and thought it would be fun. Now at age twenty-two, I'm regretting my actions.

Before my boss took over, his uncle ran the place happily. The candy sold well and the game stations were new and shiny. Years later to today, they just blare all day long while sugar-crazy high school kids come in wave after endless wave.

Sora, as I've mentioned before, is my co-worker. He's been working here for almost a year, happily, might I add. Another co-worker is a full-time, anytime-guy named Axel. Axel has only been here since the start of the summer, and just turned twenty one.

So now that I've introduced you to our crew, let me take you back to my miserable job where Axel is late, again. I'm getting a headache from just listening to the damn air hockey puck flying across the field and the pop music blaring from those damned speakers.

On one of the few times that he manages to leave his office, my boss is reminded of how much he hates children.

I'm leaning against the wall by his office as I try to relieve myself of my headache as Sora takes over for me. Axel, on his break, is living it up on the Dance Dance Revolution with some teenagers.

I hear the squeak of his office chair, and moments later, my boss comes through the door. Not as in coming through the door itself, just opening the door and coming through the doorway. Right. Let me introduce him.

At age twenty four, Squall, Please-call-me-Leon Leonhart, is my boss and manager of the candy shop. His parents are quite rich but give none of their success to their son. Why, you ask? I have yet to find that out.

He stares at me when he first notices me, an unlit cigarette hanging slack between his lips. "What are you doing?"

Blankly, I pull my thoughts together past my headache. "Headache. Bad." I mumble out.

"Right. Well get back out there soon." He grumbles. Mumbling and grumbling. Groaning and complaining. It's all we ever do. I don't like working here, and I don't like working with him. We're in the same boat. I would probably hate him more if it wasn't for the fact that he hates this place as much as I do. He watches me for a second longer, "You can step outside if you want... aspirin is in my office."

I just shake my head and he wanders off out the back door for the smoke he's craving. All I needed was a ride on Fenrir, my motorcycle, but that wasn't going to happen. I can hear Sora out at the cash register calling for me. I glance at the clock and take note that it's only two in the afternoon. One hour before rush-hour.

Out at the counter, I notice why Sora called for me. Riku.

I take over the register and Sora bounces around the counter to give his friend a hug. It quite nearly is an everyday regimen that at least one of his friends come by. Today, being a Wednesday, was Riku.

I shake my head and Riku just laughs, ruffling Sora's hair. "Honestly, I don't know how you manage him. He's just so... hyperactive."

Riku shrugs his shoulders, giving Sora a warm smile. "It'll grow on you eventually."

I couldn't really begin to understand his logic, but off the two went, and Sora officially went on his break. I holler at Axel to get back to work and like a kicked puppy, he comes over to my side. I can't sympathize. He's just too old to be acting like a hormonal high school-er. Yet, age doesn't stop him.

The back door shuts and not too long later, Leon comes out, looking around at the few customers out. "I bought Subway, it's in my office."

Axel then throws his arms up, "Sweet! I'm on break!"

"Axel!" I yell after him but he was long gone and Leon comes up beside me, running a hand through his hair, telling me not to worry about it.

I don't know what prompts him to keep Axel as an employee.

As we close, Leon is standing by the doors as he locks up, talking softly on his cell phone. It was odd to see him out of his office, let alone on the phone talking to someone who was obviously not business-related. Axel comes up beside me as I clean off the tables. "Hey, who's he on the phone with?" He asks me in a hushed whisper, while obviously pointing to Leon. He's the worst when it comes to secrecy.

I shrug, but I strain to listen in on his one-sided conversation as I continue to clean up the tables, Sora cleaning the floor, and Axel... 'cleaning' the candy containers.

"Strife."

I look over to Leon who, shoving his phone into his jacket pocket, is staring at me questionably. Sora and Axel's eyes are on me. With a sigh I walk over to Leon. Keys in his hand, Leon jingles them before me. "Look, I need tomorrow off, so I'm gonna need you to open the store for me. I'll come by to close with you."

I nod, taking the keys from him. "Sir?"

Leon shakes his head, running a hand through his hair again. "Look, I told you, it's Leon. If anyone asks, I'm off on a personal day."

* * *

**Author's Commentary:**

The store has no defined name quite yet, so if anyone has any ideas, they would be appreciated!!

I really just couldn't resist this one. I haven't written one based solely around Leon and Cloud on here yet, so when I thought of Leon being a manager, I tied him in with one of my managers from work who hates his job so much and he hasn't even been there all that long. I definitely have a second chapter on the way, and a third in progress. This will all be in Cloud's POV.

**Exasperated Exhalation Syndrome :** What happens in a relationship when all the cute little quirks of your partner becomes annoying. When you find yourself shaking your head or sighing, irritatedly, by the way your partner laughs at a particularly inappropriate time.

Thank you all so much for reading!!  
**( **_08/05/08_ **)**


	2. Is It Just Denial?

Disclaimer: All I own are my thoughts, a copy of Kingdom Hearts 1 & 2 for PS2, and my laptop.

**.Exasperated Exhalation Syndrome.**

* * *

The next day slides by worse than usual. Around five in the evening I take a step outside, leaving Axel to man the counter alone. Sora on his day off. I was a little surprised to see Leon, as we met, nearly running into each other as we both were at opposite sides of the door.

He didn't look as stressed and I was even more surprised when he told me we were closing early tonight. Axel was more than pleased to hear the news and suggested that we should go out to celebrate.

Leon showed no change in his facial emotion, his mouth in a stern line, staring at Axel with his I-am-in-no-mood-to-be-anywhere-_near-_you look apparent in every feature of his face. I had taken the look as a no, but I was sadly mistaken.

And now we forward to the local bar. Not one of the bars where all the single men and women go to seeking for a date, but a bar that Axel's friend works at. Axel buys the first round of drinks since it was his idea to come here in the first place, and Leon, surprisingly enough, buys the second round.

Of course, as we finish the seconds, Axel is staring me down, and Leon drums his fingers on his rim of the table slowly, disinterested.

Right. "Thirds on me." I say begrudgingly and I want to punch Axel as he holds up his arm, waving at his friend, the bartender, to order another round.

Axel grins widely. "Let's get _wasted! _Yeahh!" He cheers on his bartender friend and I'm beginning to wonder the state of my sanity, I peer over at Leon who seems quite sober still. I take my third drink slow because I'm pretty sure I'm going to be the one driving everyone back.

When Axel finally decides that he's had enough for the night, we get up to leave. Actually, _I _get up, Axel kinda falls out of his seat, and Leon gets up rather wobbly.

By the next words that leave his mouth, I realize just how wrong I was to assume that Leon was even _remotely _sober. "Shut up, man, just-just _chilll._" He laughs at his own words, holding onto the back of his chair as he steadies himself.

Wonderful. I'm driving Leon's shiny car, taking Axel to the bus stop, his means of getting home on a daily basis. When I return to the shop, I glance at Leon. He has been remotely quiet the whole trip, which makes me wonder if he can drive himself home but the silly grin on his face tells me otherwise. I don't want to leave Fenrir outside the shop, but I can't leave Leon alone.

Eventually, I'm driving Leon to my apartment. I drop him off inside and tell him to be quiet, my sister is asleep. He shushes me and stumbles over to the couch, slumping onto it. Good.

I take Rikku's truck out for a drive. Not because I want to, but so I can pick up Fenrir that I left back at the store. When I return, Leon is passed out, snoring, sprawled out on the couch. I leave him alone, letting him sleep off as much of the alcohol as possible.

I wake the next morning to find my boss very nearly in the nude on my couch with my fan trucking it at full blast. More than a little mortified, I slip into the kitchen. Coffee is the main priority now. I would have to be literate when I speak to Leon, and I was glad I had no god-awful hangover.

I sip at my mug of coffee slowly as I check my email. I hear a groan, a string of curses and not long after, my boss comes stumbling into the kitchen.

Surprise surprise, still very nearly nude.

His eyes widen when he sees me and I speak before he can even open his mouth. "You stayed the night because you could barely walk straight let alone drive home. I used your car. I tried to find out your address but all you could tell me was that you lived with space aliens and fucking ducks street north pole."

Leon looks bewildered as I tell him this and he's nearly scared out of his remaining boxers when a whistle comes from behind him. "Nice ass!" The female voice, I know so well, taunts.

I groan, dropping my head into my hands. "Rikku! That's my _boss!" _It's only possible that she could make any moment worse. Leon turns, staring at her briefly before he rushes out back to his clothes in a pile by the couch.

Rikku giggles, giving me an innocent smile. "Sorry, thought you might've actually gotten some last night."

"Rikku! I'm _not _gay!!" I cry out, and I can hear Leon stumbling around.

Rikku just giggles more, ruffling my hair as she grabs a mug of coffee. "Suuure, and that's why I never see any girls around here."

I'm thinking this day just can't get any worse and my cell phone starts ringing on the kitchen table. Axel's on the phone.

_"Yo, dude, where are you? I had to open this place this morning and Leon's a no-show too!!"_

"Axel," I pause because I'm not sure how to tell him, "I'll be there in a bit, and Leon's fine, he-"

_"Whoaaaa, Cloudy! You didn't have SEX WITH HIM DID YOU?!"_

I'm gritting my teeth, feeling my last nerve about to break. "No, Axel I didn't! He was too drunk to drive and he couldn't tell me where he lives and I'm _not _gay and-"

_"Wow! I can't believe you!! And you didn't invite me over to watch?! So did he satisfy your desires-"_

_"I'm not-!! _What is _with_ you people?!" I practically shriek into the receiver and quickly snap my phone shut. I'm so frustrated, I want to break my phone in half, but I don't, so I settle on glaring intently at it. Burning holes in it with my anger. I realize how quiet it is and when I look up, Leon is standing in the doorway, giving me an odd look.

I leave the house as soon as possible, driving like crazy to get up to work, and as far away from my boss as possible. This just can't be happening. Now everyone thinks that I'm gay... and with _Leon! _I'm so humiliated, I nearly run a red light. I'm so frustrated, that when I open the shop, I force Axel to take care of the front while I brood away in Leon's office. I'm hitting my head against the office desk over and over.

We need a new employee... so I can quit... and never face any of these people again. _Ever._

* * *

**Author's Commentary:**

Oh my gosh, I'm so speechless! You guys are the best! Thanks to Chiaki Tsukehara I have possible names for the candy store!! But yay! You reviewers make me happy to write! :D

Sweet Sensations, Sweet Tooth's, or Cavity Run.

If you all would be totally awesome and let me know which one you, my _lovely _readers(!!) like best! I'm personally favoring Cavity Run. (I know you said it was lame, C.T., but it seems to fit Sora & Rikku's personality.)

Also, I know, I'm guilty, Cloud drives after three drinks! D: But it's OK! He has a high tolerance! (Oh, but that's no excuse!!) And I definitely did _not _update this as soon as I thought I would have... I actually haven't even been on here lately. D: But I updated now! :D

Thank you all so much for reading!!  
**( **_08/18/08_ **)**


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